Town Acts To Improve Waste Storage

BERLIN — The town is improving its storage of household hazardous materials at the town garage after being warned by the state that the existing arrangement was inadequate.

State Department of Environmental Protection officials visited the town garage June 7 after checking an anonymous report that hazardous material had been dumped in the Sebethe River behind the town property. Nothing was found in the river, but DEP officials were concerned when they saw containers holding various toxic liquids, including paint and cleaning solution, stored behind one of the buildings.

The town was not fined but was warned that a better storage arrangement was needed, Town Manager Bonnie Therrien said Tuesday.

Therrien said the materials found by the DEP have been removed and disposed of, at a cost of about $7,000.

She said a large shed would be built at the complex specifically for storing hazardous materials later this summer. That would prevent the containers from being exposed to the weather and leaking material into the ground and also satisfy the state and the federal Environmental Protection Agency, she said. Construction is expected to cost about $25,000.

Some of the material stored at the complex was used by the town, but much of it was left there by residents, and was material the town ordinarily does not accept. Residents can leave used motor oil at the town garage but the town will not accept other household hazardous wastes. It is this material, often left overnight or during the weekends when staff is not at the garage, that has town officials worried.

``There was stuff at the garage like antifreeze that people really should not be dropping off there,'' Therrien said.

Town Engineer Anthony Ferraro said some of the liquids collected at the garage could not be identified.

``Often we'll get a complaint about stuff dumped on someone's property or by the side of the road and there will be containers with liquid among the debris,'' Ferraro said. ``Sometimes you can read the labels but other times the can is rusted and you can't read anything on it.''

He said the town has had a policy of storing discarded household hazardous wastes in one location for many years. The town usually disposes of what it has collected through the Tunxis Recycling Operating Committee, the regional recycling cooperative.

Therrien said the town would run an awareness campaign this summer so residents will know what they can dropoff at the town garage.

The town will also take measures to secure the complex so it will be harder for people to drop off items that are not allowed. One idea is to install a video camera so staff could identify people dumping material and impose a fine.